By Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin
Kwara State Government has flagged off the distribution of tractors to farmers at subsidised rates as part of its strategies to strengthen large scale farming, boost food security, and lessen poverty rate in the state.
The government is deploying no less than 50 tractors for distribution to farmers at N10,000 per hectare of land — about N6,000 less than the market cost of hiring the machinery from private firms.
AbdulQowiy Olododo, Technical Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture, told reporters at the weekend at a flag off ceremony in Lafiagi that the distribution is taking place under the government’s “Tractorization Subsidy Scheme” to boost food production in the state.
“This is the first phase of our interventions to the farmers and we will move from tractorization to supplying input to the farmers – seeds and fertilisers – to boost yields,” Olododo said in Lafiagi.”